Stacking arrangement for pallets



Sept. 10, 1968 P. ERISMANN 3,400,671

STACKING'ARRANGEMENT` FOR PALL'ETS I Filed May 24, 196'? 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 5 19 l@ 124 E 1a Paal 5R/:MANN

INVENTOR.

BY mdf; n/@ "1 M Sept. l0, i968 P. ERISMANN STACKING ARRANGEMEN'I" FOR PALLETS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 24. 1967 Vang/5 Pa u( [R/SMA NN INVENTOR.

United States Patent O 3,400,671 STACKING ARRANGEMENT FOR PALLETS Paul Erismann, Alpenquai 4, Lucerne, Switzerland Filed May 24, 1967, Ser. No. 641,002 Claims priority, application Switzerland, May 25, 1966, 7,522/ 66 7 Claims. (Cl. 10S-53) ABSTRACT F THE DISCLGSURE A stacking arrangement for pallets in the form of right angled platforms with corner parts. Support members are arranged detachably in such corner parts to allow the stacking of a plurality of pallets above one another. Each of the corner parts of a platform is provided with a conical recess at the top and at the bottom which cooperate with corresponding conical plug like components provided upon the support members. The platforms are provided when made of corrugated sheet metal with grooves in which wooden lathes are positioned having their top sides slightly higher than the top side of the corrugated sheet metal.

The present invention relates to a stacking arrangement including pallets, for transporting or storing piece goods and having support members arranged detachably in the cornerpieces of the right-angled platform of the pallets, which members permit at least a second pallet to be stacked at a distance above the first.

Stacking arrangements of this type are already known a particularly simple form of support member and means for detachably connecting it with the pallets, and to render possible a faultless and stable stacking on top of one another of a considerable number of pallets at a distance from each other, so that the stacking device is safely usable even, for example, on movingirailway wagons or lorries.

According to the invention there is provided a stacking arrangement with pallets for transporting or storing piece goods and with support members arranged detachably in the corner parts of the right angled platforms of the pallets, which allow the .stacking of at least a second pallet at a distance above the first, characterized in that each of the corner parts of the platform of the pallets has a recess opening upwards conically and each of the support mem- Y bers is provided with a corresponding conical plug-like component at least at its lower end, for insertion into one of the said conical recesses.

In accordance with a particularly advantageous embodiment the support members are rod-like and the undersides of the pallets are also provided with recesses to take the upper end of the support members.

In this case the rod-like support members can advantageously have a conical peg-like component at both ends, each of the recesses at the underside of the pallets forming a conical seat for one of the said peg-like components, where the conicity of all peg-like components and conical surfaces is advantageously the same and is between 8 and 15.

Specific embodiments of the invention will now be described by Way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

3,400,671 Patented Sept. l, 1968 ice FIGURE 1 shows in perspective a stacking arrangement consisting of two pallets arranged one above the other with support members inserted in between;

FIGURE 2 shows on a larger scale a part of the arrangment partly in vertical longitudinal section and partly in elevation, where, for the sake of simplicity, only one corner piece of the pallet and only one of the support members are represented;

FIGURE 3 shows a plan view on a corner piece of a single pallet;

FIGURE 4 shows a plan view of a single support member;

FIGURE 5 shows a cross-section through one of the pallets;

FIGURE 6 shows a vertical section similar to FIG- URE 2 through a corner piece of an alternative embodiment of a pallet.

The stacking arrangement shown in FIGURES 1 and 2 consists of two pallets 10 and four rod-like support members 11 each of which is arranged in one corner of the pallet. The pallets 10 are completely interlocking and have the same outer dimensions as the standardized transporting pallets of numerous railway undertakings now used in large quantities. Consequently, the pallets have a rectangular platform 12 which is intended to take piecegoods for transporting or storing. In each cornerpiece of this platform 12 there is a recess 13 opening conically upwards which forms a seat for a corresponding conical plug-like component 14 (FIGURE 2) at the far end of a support member. At the upper end of each support member 11, there is also arranged a conical plug-like member 15 which is advantageously exactly the same as the firstmentioned plug-like member 14.

Coaxially with each conical recess 13, at the underside of the pallet 10, another recess 16 (FIGURE 2) is arranged and each recess 16 has a cylindrical part 17, an opening part 18 widened like a funnel and a conical seat 19 arranged in between. The conicity of the recesses 13, the plug-like components 14 and 15 and the conical seat 19 is the same and is from 8 to 15. Between the recesses 13 and 16, arranged one above the other, a connecting hole 20 is provided which renders possible the removal of water or dirt from the upper recess 13 through the lower recess 1 6.

The recesses 13, 16 and 20 lying Coaxially with each other are arranged in a common metal component 21 which, for example, can be made by turning or casting. Four similar metal components 21 form the comer pillars of each pallet 10, In the present embodiment the pallet 10 is made completely of metal. The construction of the pallets is described in more detail below.

The rod-like support members 11 are, as shown in FIG- URE 2, each formed from a tube 24 and two plugs 25 bearing the conical parts 14 or 15 are inserted one in each end of the tube. The length of the tubes 24 are the same length as the required free distance between the pallets 10 when they are stacked one upon the other. It is advantageous to provide each of the plug-like compoents 14 and 15 with one or more longitudinal grooves 26. Any dirt present in the conical recesses 13 can fall into these grooves 26 if the plug-like components 14 or 15 are inserted with simultaneous rotation.

In accordance with FIGURES 2, 3 and 5 the metal components 21 are each surrounded below and above by an adjacent, approximately rectangular frame 30 or 31 which is welded to the corresponding metal component 21. The already mentioned platform 12 of each pallet 10 is formed by a corrugated sheet metal 32 and has grooves running parallel to each other, which have a substantially rectangular cross-sectional prole.

At each of its opposite edges, the sheet metal 32 is reinforced by a profiled fillet 33 which runs at right angles to the longitudinal direction of the sheet 32 and is welded to the latter. Furthermore, there are at the underside of the sheet 32 several cross-pieces 34 arranged at a distance from each other which are attached to the sheet 32 by welding. Both the sheet 32 and the profiled fillet 33 are welded to the upper frame 31 of the metal component 21.

The lower frames 30 of the metal components 21 are joined by straps 35 in pairs, which straps consist of metal sheet with corrugated cross-sectional profile (FIGURES 1, 2 and 5). A third strap 36 of similar type runs parallel to the straps 35 and in the middle between the same. The metal strap 36 has upwardly directed end parts 37 which are welded to the profiled fillet. Between the underside of the metal plate 32 and the upper side of the straps 35 and 36 are arranged and wel-ded several intermediary supports 38. Finally, two metal strips 39 run parallel to the profiled fillet 33 each between a pair of the lower frames 30 of the metal pieces 21 and are welded to lthese frames 30.

In order to avoid unrequired sliding of the goods which are lying on the platform 12 it is advantageous to place in each of the grooves of the metal sheet 32 a wooden lathe 40 as is shown in FIGURE 5. These wooden lathes 40 are fastened by screws 41 which pierce from below through suitable holes in the base of the grooves in the sheet 32. The height of the Wooden lathes 40 is greater than the height of the grooves so that the upper side of the wooden lathes lies somewhat higher than the upper side of the parts of the metal sheet 32 lying between the grooves. Advantageously the base of the groove is not even but slightly V-shaped or like a gutter and is provided at its deepest point with several drainage holes 42 spaced at a distance from `one another for draining water from the upper surface of the platform. In this way the wooden lathes 40 are prevented from lying in water for a long time and being damaged by rotting.

The use and working of the described stacking arrangement is as follows:

One rod-like support member 11 is inserted by means of its lower conical plug-like component 14 into each of the recesses 13 at the upper side of the lowest pallet 10. A good seating of the plug-like component 14 in the recess 13 is brought about by a screw-like rotation of each suppolt member 11 by which the support members 11 are joined to the lower pallet firmly but detachably. After this the second pallet is lifted by means of a suitable lifting appliance, for example, a fork-lift truck, and then lowered over the first pallet in such a way that the plug-like component 15, at the upper end of the support member 11, fits into the funnel-shaped mouth part 18 of the recesses 16 on the underside of the second pallet. By the combined effect of the funnel-shaped mouth part 18 with the conical plug-like component 15 the latter are automatically and accurately centered with reference to recesses 16 if the second pallet is lowered. Finally, the second pallet rests on the plug-like component of the support member 11 by means of the conical seat 19. 'Ihe described positioning of the second pallet does not require any great skill in the person operating the lifting appliance `and can easily also be carried out if the pallet 10 is loaded with piece goods.

Again rod-like support members 11 can be placed into the conical recesses 13 of the second, i.e., the now top pallet if required, on which support members a third pallet can be placed and so on. -In this way a considerable number of pallets 10 can be arranged on top of each other at distances and form a shelf from the stacking arrangement.

The pallet 10 arranged one on top of the other can be lifted easily with a lifting device, for example, a fork lift stacker again individually or in groups. In this way the lifted pallet 10 practically always releases itself automatically from the lower bordering support member 11 since the friction connection between the upper pluglike component 15 and the conical seat 19 is considerably smaller than the frictional contact between the lower plug-like component 17 and the conical surfaces of the recesses 13. If required, however, the whole pallet stack can be lifted by lifting the lowest pallet by means of a fork lift stacker or the like and transported to another place, `for example, to be loaded or unloaded from a vehicle.

The alternative embodiment of a part shown in FIGURE 6 is of simple construction which lis satisfactory for many uses. Instead of the metal components 21 of the first example of embodiment there are, in accordance with FIGURE 6, tubes 121 of metal, each of which is provided with a recess 13 opening conically upwards and a recess 16 opening downwards. The lower recess 16 has, as in the first example, a cylindrical part 17', a funnellike opening mouthpiece 18 and a conical seat 19 arranged in between. The conicity of the recess 13 and of the conical seat 19 is the same and fits the conicity of the pipe-like component 14 and 15 of the support members 11 (not shown in FIGURE 6). Between the recesses 13' and 16' is a connecting hole 120. Each of the tubes 121 is enclosed by a prismatic rectangular sleeve 122 in which end plates 123 and 124 are Welded. The latter each have a central opening whose periphery closes at the mouth of the recess 13 or 16 and is welded with the corresponding end of the tube 121. -Four of the described sleeves 122 with inserted tubes 121 are arranged and fastened in the comer piece parts of a rectangular shaped metal frame which consists of rectangular tubes 125 of which only one can be seen in FIGURE 6. In these metal frames are incorporated several cross-pieces 126 arranged at a distance from each other which, together with the metal frames form a grating. On the latter is supported and fastened a wooden platform 127 whose 4transverse side forms the platform 112 of the pallets.

The mode of use of the pallet just described in accordance with FIGURE 6 in connection with rod-like support members 11 is exactly the same as described in the first described embodiment.

yIn another embodiment (not shown) the pallets can be completely m-ade of wood and only have in the corner parts the metal pieces 21 or tube pieces 121 or simil-ar parts which contain the recesses 13, 16, 20 and 13', 16, 120.

The main advantages of the described stacking arrangement in accordance with the invention are:

(a) The support members 11 and the means of joining them with pallets 10 or 110 are simple to manufacture;

(b) The safe, stable and rock-free connection of the support members 11 to the pallets 10 or 110 and the connection is easy to make and unmake;

(c) The support members 11 can, if required, be made in the required length quickly or correspondingly long tube pieces 24 are cut out and inserted in the ends of the same plugs 25;

(d) :If the support members 11 are removed from pallets 10 or 110 they can be used exactly in the same way as normal pallets;

(e) The cost of producing the pallets provided with recesses 13 and 16 or 13 and 16' is scarcely higher than that of conventional pallets;

(f) Water, dust and dirt have little or no affect on the operational efficiency of pallets 10 or 110v and the support members 11.

It is thought that the invention and its advantages will be understood from the foregoing description and it is apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing its material advantages, the forms hereinbefore described and illustrated in the drawings being .merely preferred embodiments thereof.

I claim:

1. A stacking arrangement with pallets for transporting or storing piece goods, comprising a plurality of pallets in the form of right-angled platforms having an upper and a lower side and corner parts, each one of said corner parts having a pair of openings arranged at the upper and the lower side of each pallet, rod-shaped support members each having identical conical plug-like end portions at its two ends for insertion into one of said openings at the upper side of one of said pallets and into one of said openings at the lower sideV of another one of said pallets, said pair of openings of each corner part being arranged in coaxial alignment with respect to one another, the openings at the upper side of the pallets each having a conical seat surface of the same conicity and substantially the same axial length as said conical plug-like end portions of the support members, the openings at the lower side of the pallets each having a conical seat surface of the same conicity but a reduced axial length than the conical plug-like end portions of the support members.

2. An arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the openings at the lower side of the pallets each have a cylindrical portion in communication with the smaller diameter end of said conical seat surface and a funnellike widened mouthpiece extending from the larger diameter end of said conical seat surface, said cylindrical portion, said conical seat surface and said mouthpiece all being in axial alignment.

3. An arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein the upper side ot each of said platforms is formed of corrugated sheet metal and has grooves running parallel to cach other and wooden lathes are located in said grooves whose upper sides are higher than the upper side of said sheet metal.

4. An arrangement as claimed in claim 3, wherein the base of each groove of said corrugated sheet metal is slightly V-shaped to form a gutter and has at the deepest part drainage openings arranged at a distance from one another.

5. An arrangement as claimed in claim 2, wherein each pair of axially aligned openings is interconnected by a passage extending from the smaller diameter end of the seat surface of the upper opening to the cylindrical portion of the lower opening, said passage having a smaller diameter than said cylindrical portion.

6. An arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of said conical plug-like end portions of the sup- -port members and each of the conical seat surfaces of said openings have the same conicity lying in the range from 8 to 15.

7. An arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of said conical end portions of the support members has three evenly distributed longitudinal grooves.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,591,049 4/1952 Butsch 10S-53 XR 2,673,700 3/1954 Eberhardt 108-53 2,676,776 4/ 1954 Townson 108-53 2,678,787 5/1954 Averill 108-53 3,160,120 12/1964 Skubic 108-53 3,180,288 4/1965 MCCowan 108-101 3,224,388 12/1965 Skubic 10S-53 FOREIGN PATENTS 999,015 7/1965 Great Britain.

BOBBY R. GAY, Primary Examiner.

GLENN FINCH, Assistant Examiner'. 

